The invention relates to a method of recording a series of data signals on a record carrier of an inscribable type wherein, a definitive table of contents in the form of a definitive address information signal is recorded on the record carrier after the last data signal of the series has been recorded. The table of contents specifies addresses of the positions on the record carrier where the data signals have been recorded, and the table of contents is of a type which cannot be extended without adaptation of the data included in the table prior to extension.
The invention further relates to a device for recording a series of data signals wherein the device also generates a definitive table of contents after the last data signal of the series has been recorded. The definitive table of contents specifies the addresses of the positions on the record carrier where the data signals have been recorded, and the definitive table of contents is of a type which cannot be extended without adaptation of the data included in the table prior to extension. The device provides for causing the definitive table of contents being recorded on the record carrier in the form of a definitive address information signal.
The invention also relates to a device for reading a record carrier on which an information signal has been recorded, which information signal comprises subcodes to which error-correction signals have been added. The device includes an error detector for detecting a predetermined relationship between the error-detection bits of the subcodes read and the other bits of the subcodes read.
Such a method and such devices are disclosed in European Patent Document EP-A-0,215,133. The method and the device described therein are suitable for recording data signals in the form of standard CD-signals on record carriers of a write-once type.
A problem encountered when the table of contents, which is the "Table of Contents" prescribed by the CD standard, being recorded is that the "Table of Contents" cannot be recorded until the last data signal of the series has been recorded.
It is desirable to include, however, in the process of recording the data availability of signals information is available about the positions of the data signals already recorded. Therefore, in such a conventional device a list is kept of the addresses of the data signals already recorded. This list is updated each time that a new data signal is recorded.
When a partly inscribed record carrier is re-inserted the problem occurs that no list is available of the addresses of the data signals recorded on the record carrier. During a suitable search process such a list is then derived from address information obtained by reading parts of the data signals already recorded. Such a search process is very complex and also time-consuming.